Page 43 of Captive Vow (Mafia Marriages 2)

Moreno slams on the gas. We hurry away from the cabin as the gates are opened for us to leave. How many more times will I be able to walk freely outside of the confines of the property?

* * *

Together, we sit in the waiting room. Nova is situated beside me on a double chair and Moreno is seated by himself.

Does it bother him that his daughter has chosen to sit with me instead of him?

Maybe he doesn’t even notice, and I’m making more out of it than I should.

His jaw is tight, his hands clenched at his sides. He’s still fuming about the ring he accused me of stealing.

I didn’t take it. I didn’t even know where it was to steal from him. But I have the sneaking suspicion that Nova knew where it was and she swiped it.

Call it intuition.

It could also be that she seems guilty, unable to so much as cast a glance at her father and is cuddling me at every opportunity that she gets.

The office door squeaks open. “Hi, Nova,” the woman says. She bends down to Nova’s level to introduce herself. “I’m Ellie. I see you brought a friend today. I have some crayons to color with in my office. Would you like to come see?”

Nova doesn’t budge from the seat beside me as she clutches her stuffed giraffe tight.

“Nova, let’s go,” Moreno says. He doesn’t offer even a hint of a smile. It’s like he’s waiting for her to obey him. Maybe that works on the guards, but Nova is a child.

I stand and offer her my hand. “Come on. It’s okay.” I give her a warm smile, wanting her not to be scared about the strange and unfamiliar place. “I know you like to draw, and I bet she has all the best colors.”

She stares at me, eyes wide, and grips my hand.

“I’ll be with you the entire time. So, will your Daddy,” I say. I’m not sure that assures her or not, but she climbs down from the chair and clutches my hand tight as we step into the therapist’s office.

Moreno is right on our heels. I’d expect nothing less.

“Let me do the talking,” he whispers into my ear as we take a seat on the sofa, the three of us.

Nova climbs between us.

I’m okay with that. It means I don’t have to sit next to Moreno and right now, I don’t want to cooperate with him.

I’d just assume I blow up his story, let the woman know every detail about Serene.

Wouldn’t that help Nova?

Honestly, I’m not sure if it would help or make things worse for her. I can live with myself if I piss my boss off, but I can’t handle hurting Nova. She doesn’t deserve that type of treatment.

On a small table are several blank sheets of paper and crayons. She glances at the crayons on the table but doesn’t move from the sofa.

“How about we color together?” I say.

Scooting from the sofa, I glance over my shoulder at Nova and give her a warm smile and nod.

She’s chewing her bottom lip. She wants to color, but she seems timid and afraid. I’m not sure of what—her father, the situation, something else?

I reach for the purple crayon, her favorite color, and start coloring quietly at the table.

Moreno begins speaking with Ellie, explaining some basic information, and Nova slips off the sofa and grabs the crayon from my hand.

She may not be great with sharing, but at least the kid knows what she wants.

I let her have the purple crayon, and she grabs a blank piece of paper and begins to scribble a drawing.

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